


That's A Wrap

by The_Doctors_Song



Category: Doctor Who RPF
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Smut, appearances by other characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 17:43:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/624849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Doctors_Song/pseuds/The_Doctors_Song
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt narrowed his eyes as he smiled, leaning back in his seat. Just Alex? No… ‘Just Alex’ was simple, and understated. Normal… There was nothing normal about the Kingston. He smiled again, picking up a pen and doodling another picture in his copy of the script. Getting Steven to fire the old River Song was his best idea he’d ever been pushed in to enacting… He just didn’t realize it’d be his most rewarding. </p>
<p>AU Mattex</p>
            </blockquote>





	That's A Wrap

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's the first chapter of the massive multi-chapter story I was planning. Not sure how this is going to go, but I hope you enjoy it. For the record, I don't know who Jane is. I made her up I guess. Also... I said this is AU, and there are reasons for that. Back story upon backstory.... You'll find out as the story progresses. Tell me if you like it, follow me on Tumblr (lose-yourself-in-infinity), and uh.... Read on!

Film sets, be it for an actual film or for a TV series, are all generally the same. The same loud shouts of crew members as they set up the next scene, the same giggling as the make-up department and the props department stand around and gossip, waiting to be called on set to touch up the actors. Everything about a set was the same as every other one. You needed a familiarity to be able to work around the crowded space. You needed patience for literally everyone, whether it was an actor screwing up a line, or a prop that was left back in the warehouse. Everything needs to be in working order; otherwise it throws everyone off balance.

_“Can’t you see I’m trying here? I can’t work with her, she’s too…” Matt paused, sighing as he shook his head. “She’s just… absolutely the wrong woman for this!”_

_He stared ahead, frustrated at Steven, as the older man leaned back in his fancy office chair. Matt was standing behind the seat in front of the Moff’s desk, his hands griping the back of it as he leaned forward. They’d been arguing for well over ten minutes, and they seemed to be getting nowhere._

_“I don’t understand what the problem is Matt. She’s a credited actress, she’s talented, she’s huge here…”_

_“And she’s wrong for the part.”_

_Steven sighed, shaking his head and rubbing at his temple. “So… What you’re telling me… Is that you want to re-cast River Song?”_

_Matt stared at Steven, before nodding his head firmly. “Yes.”_

_Steven stared back, before sighing. “Okay.”_  

If there’s an element to the cast and crew, one single member that wasn’t working, wasn’t clicking with the others as they should, that member would generally be found to be out of a job. The Doctor Who set, was no different. 

XX

  
Another day filming, another hundred problems that popped up and seemed to need his immediate attention.  He was the writer, for god’s sake, and the reason he was the writer was so he wouldn’t have to deal with these things. That was the director’s job, or the assistant he hired – speaking of… He sent that eager boy off for coffee an hour ago. How long did it take to get a single cup? – But the director couldn’t handle this particular problem… Not when he was part of it.

“This is ridiculous!”

Steven Moffat was many things. He was a father. He was a writer. He was an all-around troll to the public. However one thing he was not was a babysitter. And this set was beginning to feel an awfully lot like a day care centre.

He’d arrived just in time to see David Tennant storm past him, trotting up the steps to his trailer and slamming the door with a loud bang. Now, he knew David. Well, actually. And that was a diva move if ever he saw one… And David most certainly wasn’t a diva. He turned, staring at Matt and Jane, the two of them glaring at each other.

“What the bloody hell is going on here?”

“ _River Song_ is becoming a pain in the Doctor’s backside, that’s what’s wrong!”

_“Well, what do you want me to do Matt? Did you have someone in mind, because I for one am going to have trouble looking for a new River Song on such short notice? We have a deadline!”_

_Matt sighed, brushing his hair from his eyes and glancing down at the floor. “I know Steven, I know about the deadline.” He groaned, shaking his head and pushing away from the chair, pacing to the back of the room. “I can’t think of anyone. Surely, you know someone who can fill the role? Someone good, and easy to handle, who doesn’t make us want to shoot ourselves on a daily basis!”_

_Steven remained quiet, leaning forward as he reached for his mobile, it lying abandoned on the corner of the desk. “I… Might be able to come up with someone.  Tell the cast and crew they can have the rest of today off. Then we’ve got a table read tomorrow. You better be right Matt. River Song is my character, my ultimate character. Screw her up, you can be the one finding a new job.”_

_Matt nodded, folding his arms over his chest. “Understood. I’m sorry Moff.”_

_Steven nodded, waving Matt away as he swung around in his chair, facing the small window the over looked the lot. As the dial tone rang in his ear, he wondered if maybe, this was an answer to his long ago prayers._

_“Hello?”_

_“Alex? Alex, I need your help.”_

XX

There’s an eight hour time difference between London and Los Angeles. Or, roughly that. It takes eleven hours to fly from Los Angeles to London. Most actors or actresses, when receiving a script that needed to be learnt within twenty four hours, would read the script on their flight to their destination. Then again, most actors or actresses had more time than simply twenty four hours to memorize a script. But then, Alex Kingston wasn’t most actresses. Instead of reading the script Steven had emailed her on her flight to London, she drank tea and had a rather entertaining conversation with the man sitting beside her, tilting her head to the side and brushing her fingers across her daughter’s cheek every now and then. The man, Allan his name was, didn’t even faun over her as most people who’d seen her work had done before. A simple ‘May I have your autograph?’ and then they were talking about the differences between America and England.

Her script sat in her carry-on with the paper clip still

_There was a ringing in her dreams. A distinct ringing that she was sure she’d heard before. Was that her telephone? She opened her eyes blearily and reached blindly for the phone she knew was on her bedside table. Clutching it in her hand, she smiled triumphantly before pressing it to her ear and falling face first in to her pillow._

_“Hello?”_

_“Alex? Alex, I need your help.”_

_She sat up, turning to rest her back against the headboard as she frowned. “Steven? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”_

_“Am I okay? Am I…. No! I’m not okay! Smith, the bloody git, was sent in by the cast and crew. They can’t deal with Jane as River! She’s driving them crazy! Now, I need a new River, and I know you said you’re in LA, and that it’s a huge commute, but please, I’m begging you.”_

_Alex frowned, holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun streaming in. She crawled off the bed, sliding from the mattress and padding across the floor to the curtains. A glance at the clock told her it was three in the afternoon. She’d have to pick Salome up soon. “It is a huge commute Steven. I don’t think I can, I’m sorry.”_

_Steven groaned on the phone line, swearing softly. She smiled as his Scottish brogue came through, rolling her eyes slightly. “Please? I’ll do anything. River was basically written for you anyway, it broke my heart when you turned her down the first time. Please Alex. I’m desperate here.”_

_Alex sighed, before slowly nodding her head. “I’ll talk to Salome about what she wants to do. If she doesn’t want to move, I’m going to have to turn you down again. I’m sorry Sweetie.”_

_“Deal. You are magnificent Miss Kingston!”_

She’d arrived on set less than two hours after landing, dropping her things off with her parents and kissing Salome goodbye before driving to Steven’s Secret Base, as he referred to it. Even if it technically wasn’t a secret. She knew everyone indulged him in his fantasies. It was just easier that way.

She’d walked through the door, and straight in to Steven’s awaiting arms. “Knew you’d make it!”

She laughed, rubbing him on the back as his arms tightened around her waist. She reached forward, blinding setting her bag down on the table. “Now Steven, I told you I’d be here.”

It had been too long since she’d last seen Steven; the two of them were friends and had been for years.

“How’s the kid?”

She rolled her eyes as she pulled away, sighing. “Salome is fine. Brilliant, actually. She jumped at the chance to leave LA.” She frowned slightly, before shaking her head. She glanced around, smiling at the man twirling around in his seat beside David and Karen, the new companion she’d listened to Steven rave about. The man stood, stumbling forward and sticking out his hand.

“Just who I’ve been waiting to meet. It’s an honour Miss Kingston, huge fan I am.”

She smiled, shaking his hand before hugging him softly. She’s a hugger, or so Steven continued to tease her about. “The honour’s all mine Mr Smith, I presume? The reason why I’m here… or so Steven tells me.”

Matt blushed, nodding his head. “Well… It really was necessary. Besides, I hear River Song was written with you in mind. Hopefully you won’t be as much a handful as the other one was.”

Alex laughed, shaking her head and cocking it to the side. “Well… We’ll have to see now won’t we, Mr Director sir?”

Matt laughed, nodding his head at Steven before collapsing back in to his seat. “This is going to be interesting.” He murmured, David nodding his head beside him.

“Oh yeah.”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Steven cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes and shouting ‘Oi!’ when no one listened to him. “Thank you, now. Meet our new River Song, Miss Alexandra Kingston!” Alex elbowed him in the side, rolling her eyes as she smiled at the applause. “Thank you, just Alex.”

Matt narrowed his eyes as he smiled, leaning back in his seat. Just Alex? No… ‘Just Alex’ was simple, and understated. Normal… There was nothing normal about the Kingston. He smiled again, picking up a pen and doodling another picture in his copy of the script. Getting Steven to fire the old River Song was the best idea he’d ever been pushed in to enacting… He just didn’t realize it’d be his most rewarding. 


End file.
